"Celebrities"

Remember when you all responded to Mom's request to get tickets for the Tabernacle Choir Christmas program of 2009 (with Natalie Cole and David McCullough)? Nikki was successful in "winning" four tickets for us, and we drove down to it with our very good friends, Marlin and Cindy Harker.

Well, it's a year later, so the program is now available on DVD, and is being shown on public television and BYU-TV. We first got a call from Joe & Kim Fiske (in Tennessee) to say that they saw us during the broadcast of the program. We also got an email from Karie Brooks saying that she saw us, too.

Before anybody gets too excited, it is all of .87 seconds long, and we're just politely clapping. The big moment happens at about 12 1/2 minutes into the broadcast, right after "For Unto Us a Child is Born". (That was fantastic, and we should have been on our feet wildly clapping!)

I guess we'll HAVE to buy the DVD now... ;-)

Thanksgiving

For the fifth year in a row, we enjoyed a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving vacation at Janet and Allen's house in Tennessee.

This year Russ even got Uncle Allen to stay up "late" (10:00 PM) one night learning how to play "Ticket to Ride".

The girls watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.

The weather on Thanksgiving was perfect, so Kaylee and Ashlyn spent a lot of time outside.

Ashlyn and Allen had a little heart-to-heart.

Russ got a much needed rest.

The poor kitties were chased around a lot (but they got their revenge this year).

Ashlyn and Kaylee made spice drop turkeys.

Sort of.

The turkey was grilled to perfection.

And enjoyed by all.

Brenna had a particularly nice 'do the morning after.

And Janet won Kaylee and Ashlyn's undying love (if that was ever in doubt before) when she presented them with new Barbies.

We hope everyone else enjoyed an equally wonderful holiday!

Oh-oh, here she comes . . .

She's a maneater

Watch out boy she'll chew you up

Thank you, Dad

Dear Dad,

As today is Veteran's Day, I wanted to thank you for your service in the Navy and helping to defend our freedom in this wonderful land. I know the memories are difficult, but where would we be without those men and women who sacrifice so much to keep this nation free? I am grateful for a father who did his duty and made the most of very difficult circumstances. Though it wasn't easy, I can't help but think the experiences gained in the Navy helped you become who you are today. Bless you for the man you are the and wonderful father you are and have always been!

I love you,

Mary Sue

"And God Said It Was Good"

'Twas a beautiful Summer Sabbath Day,
when first he saw her hair so golden.
But alas, he was sure she was saying "no way!"

He thought that, to another, she was beholden.

On a glorious Sabbath Day in November, (7th, 1976)

he found himself next to this lady in white.

Her roommates arranged a dinner to remember,

knowing their hearts would take to flight.

He hinted of a dance

for a Hawkins named Sadie,

She took a chance

for she was a brave lady.

Selecting music for the next Ward dance,

he decided he, too, would take a chance.

He asked her to come check out a 'rock band' --

when his car 'broke down', 'twas placed on her hand!

There 'neath the lights of a temple so rare,

they basked in the glow of that sacred sight.

A passerby asked "Did they need any care?"

They smiled and said "everything's ALL-right".

Across an altar in Salt Lake City,

their vows were sealed by a prophet of God.

And as they pondered eternity,

they embraced each other... and the iron rod.

I know there are several viewers out there who have been most patiently waiting for this post.

But, first of all, can we all guess who/what this is??

Humpty Dumpty!
(NOT Peeping Tom, like a sister missionary thought at our ward party!)

Sadly, I cannot take credit for the origin of this costume idea. I found it on Google. But, I did take the time to realize that I needed to take advantage of my belly when thinking of a Halloween costume for this year. But I must say, this idea is incredibly creative. The brick wall, at one point, was better positioned but the other suspender broke off.

This is the best belly picture I could get Brandon to take. He is not too keen on taking these (which is mostly fitting since I am not too keen on having them taken). I am about 33 weeks along. So, in theory, this little fish inside of me will come out in 7 weeks (give or take 2 or 3). Kind of weird to put it like that. Mom and kid are still doing real well. Sadly, kid is probably more active than mom. There is no pattern or cycle that this girl lives by, she kicks and moves whenever she wants, which is very often. Though I have nothing to really gauge this with, I am confident that on an activity scale she ranks very high.

I have to refrain from bending over too much (which is inconvenient); that tends not to feel good. I have a difficult time getting up from our couch that sits real low. I have to sit up and back so my rib cage isn't sitting on my uterus, since that tends to not feel good either. Sleeping hasn't been too bad. Overall, I still feel real good and active.

Brandon and I recently received callings: Relief Society Instructor and Priest Quorum Advisor. We are both very pleased to have these callings.

Unfortunately . . .

. . . this is not a rubber snake.

A few weeks ago I was in my bedroom with Brenna while Kaylee and Ashlyn played in the livingroom. Ashlyn came back and said, "Mom, come and see something." I was thinking she must have made some sort of mess or something. But then she said, "There are snakes!" I was thinking, no way is there a snake in our house - it's probably just a worm or something.

I was wrong. She was right.

I glanced toward the livingroom and saw something long and black slithering next to the front door. I put Brenna down and grabbed some shoes and gloves. By the time I got to the front door it was gone. I cautiously looked around and moved a few items, but found no snake. At that point I assumed (hoped) it had gone back outside.

Wrong.

A little while later I saw it again, near the dining room table. I put on my gloves (I had kept my shoes on - too afraid to take them off) and watched it move into a corner. At that point Ashlyn came out and saw it and made some sort of loud noise, which scared it into crawling under the door of the coat closet. I called Russ then, making sure I kept an eye on the closet, and we decided it would be best to trap it inside the closet and deal with it later (like when Russ got home from school). I shoved a big towel next to the door and hoped that would do the trick.

Fast forward a few hours - Russ is home and the girls are all in bed. Time to get rid of the snake. Russ moved things out of the closet while I cautiously watched from behind the couch. He found it near the back of the closet and tried to shoo it out with a broom, which only made the snake mad. We would have let it live, if it would have been more cooperative. But in the end, Russ killed it.

This is the book he smashed it with. Thank you "Don Quixote".

My hero. He said he wasn't scared of it, but I don't believe him, since he wouldn't touch it, even with gloves on.

And this is what our house looked like after the fiasco was over.